


to be happy now

by cinderlily



Category: American Idol RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-04-23
Updated: 2010-04-23
Packaged: 2017-10-09 02:54:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,931
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/82254
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cinderlily/pseuds/cinderlily
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Archie breaks up with Cook, which comes as a shock as he didn't know they were dating.</p>
            </blockquote>





	to be happy now

**Author's Note:**

> Written on the nudge of [](http://openice.livejournal.com/profile)[**openice**](http://openice.livejournal.com/) who decided that between Cook's drunken "I miss Archie" and Archie's "He could call me, you know!" that this _had_ to be ficced. Who am I to deny that claim with our boys in the mix? I may or may not have messed with reality a lot in here. It is based around now time line wise. Started forever ago with a challenge from [](http://community.livejournal.com/david_squared/profile)[**david_squared**](http://community.livejournal.com/david_squared/). (Title from Copeland song of same name.)

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
**Current mood:**|   
sleepy  
---|---  
**Current music:**| Copeland :: To Be Happy Now  
**Entry tags:**|   
[cook/archuleta](http://cinderlily.livejournal.com/tag/cook/archuleta), [fics](http://cinderlily.livejournal.com/tag/fics)  
  
  


  
_"I'm not particularly concerned with whether or not you like me, because I live to like you and... and I can't like you anymore. So... so when you're feeling real low and... and dirty, don't look to me to pump you back up 'cause... 'cause... 'cause maybe for the first time in your life I WON'T BE THERE!"_ ~ Duckie from Pretty in Pink

 

Cook was pretty sure he had never seen Archie that level of angry before. Actually, he was pretty sure he had never seen him angry at all, which was probably why he found that he couldn't think of something to say when his friend started to rant at him. They hadn't seen each other in months, since just after the Manilla trip, which was the result of stress and lack of time, at least on his end.

"I just … I can't," Archie frowned, and not for the first time Cook had no idea what he was talking about. "I realized the other day that I had spent too much time into this stupid … _thing_ and I haven't been able to just… enjoy things in months and it is not fair to you, my family, my friends or even… even m-me. I just…"

Archie seemed to deflate, having lost whatever steam he had started with somewhere in the middle of his rambling. Cook put his hand out to squeeze his shoulder but was stopped by Archie flinching away. He had no idea what the hell was going on beyond the fact that apparently Archie had reached his breaking point without Cook knowing there was something bothering him at all.

"Archie," Cook started, "Man, I don't know what you are talking about but I am willing to change whatever it is that is bothering you. I don't want to lose you, you are one of the best friends I've got."

Instead of making Archie feel better this seemed to remind him why he was angry in the first place, his chest puffed up and his lips pursed in a thin line. "You have enough friends, Cook. Next time you need someone to talk to about music or touring or your … your… _girlfriend_ you can just find someone else. I won't be there."

Before Cook could think to say something intelligent or even just to ask him to stay, Archie stood up and walked out of the restaurant they were in. Belatedly looking around and seeing that the other patrons were staring, Cook reached for his pocket and took out more than enough to cover the tab and tip. He picked up his baseball cap off the chair beside him and pulled it down low enough to mask his eyes.

As soon as he stepped foot outside he heard the familiar clicking of a camera.

_Shit._

"David!" one of the paparazzi called, shoving his camera in his face. "Archuleta looked pretty upset when he walked out. What happened? Lover's quarrel? Did you break up?"

Cook swallowed the urge to punch the guy in the face and instead walked towards the valet with a frown. He still didn't know how the rumor of he and Archie dating had started but it had been around so long he stopped being annoyed by it. He was, though, annoyed at the idea that he knew there would be pictures of this up on the Internet in a few hours. Could almost see the comments under the picture, 'Lover's Tiff', 'Happily ever Ended?' or even just 'Archuleta left Cook' and all of those just made his stomach turn.

When he slid into the front seat of his car he shut the door possibly a little too loudly. The paparazzi swarmed in front of him. He honked but saved the obscenities for his internal monologue and when they finally moved enough he drove away as fast as he could. His phone rang halfway back to his house and he was almost disappointed to see that it was his mother. (Which, admittedly, made him feel like a total jerk.)

"Hey momma," he forced himself to smile, sure she would hear the frown in his voice.

And maybe it didn't matter what he did, as the cluck of her tongue across the line was disapproving. "David Roland Cook, I thought I raised you better."

"Hmm," Cook sighed and pressed his thumb and forefinger to the bridge of his nose. This was a double-edged sword, he either tried to deny whatever it was or start apologizing blindly. Either way usually ended in his mother being annoyed. He took a shot in the dark. "You did? I just have been in California too long, takes away from my upbringing."

She sighed exaggeratedly and he got a sense of relief when he caught the false chastising in her voice, "Obviously. Not even calling to tell your own mother you had a girlfriend."

Thankfully he was pulling into his driveway as she made that comment, his foot shoved down on the brake with enough force that he probably would have caused a wreck. "Come again?"

"You heard me," she repeated. "I had to hear about it from Mrs. Hanson who heard It from _Extra_, and you know how much I hate having to fake like I know things."

"When has _Extra_ ever gotten anything right?" he asked, and really, it was just the cherry on top of the crap sundae of his afternoon. "Who is it this time?"

His mom paused for a second, and Cook could picture the way she frowned when she had to think of things. "What is that girl's name? The one from Idol a few years back? Underhill?"

"Carrie Underwood?" Cook blinked, that one was new. He traced his recent memory for the last time he had even seen her let alone been photographed around her. Not since the Disney _Idol_ opening forever ago. "Hate to break it to you mom, but I am still single. I promise though that you will be in the top three phone calls I make when I found someone, after my publicist and Oprah."

"I'm honored to just be considered," she laughed. "It's too bad, she seems nice enough."

He finally opened the door of his car and walked into his house. "I'm sure she is, mom."

"What about that Jordin? She seemed nice when I met her at the fundraiser last year?"

Cook couldn't help but laugh as he flopped back onto his couch. "She is Archie's age."

"Age is just a number, Dave," she teased. "Especially now that you are on the downward slope towards thirty."

He laid his head back to stare at the ceiling. "And my mom is barely thirty five, I always wonder how that worked out."

"My boy with the silver tongue," she laughed. "Speaking of Archie, how is he doing? I haven't heard you talk about him in a while, and seeing as when you aren't dating Underwhoever he is apparently my son-in-law, I feel obligated to check in on him."

Cook laughed bitterly, "Funny you should mention it that way. I am pretty sure I was unceremoniously dumped this afternoon."

"_Dumped_?"

He told his mother about his weird lunch date, the way Archie had just let him have it and how he was left without so much as a goodbye. His mother listened, a few well placed 'hmm's telling him she wasn't cut off. At the end though she was silent for so long that he wasn't sure she was still there.

"Mom?"

She let out along breath. "Oh, poor David."

For a split second he wanted to ask which of them she meant, but guessed by the disappointed sigh it wasn't him. "I don't know what I did."

"Of course you don't," she tutted.

"Care to share with the class?" he couldn't hide the annoyed tone in his voice. She didn't respond though, and that was just entirely more frustrating than it should be. He wasn't stupid enough to snap at his mother, but that didn't make the urge to lessen at all. "This is one of those times you are going to make me learn a lesson the hard way."

It hadn't really been a question, but she responded like it was. "Afraid so, sweetheart."

"Don't let Mrs. Hanson tell you any more stories from _Extra_, okay?"

His mom laughed, "Won't have to, as long as you keep me in the loop. I resent having Mario Lopez tell me about my son's love life. "

"I love you."

"I love you, too."

*

 

Out of sheer curiosity (or so he convinced himself) he went onto the _Extra_ website. There on the front page was his face along side Carrie Underwood's and when he clicked on it there was a fuzzy picture of him walking out of a club cut along side of Carrie walking out of the same one. There was something almost amusing about the fact that he didn't even have to be seen _with_ someone to illicit dating rumors anymore. He remembered going to the club, but hadn't even known she was there.

'Underwood and Cook trying to duck the press?'

He had to admit that sometimes the ridiculousness that was 'celebrity' was actually kind of funny. He pulled out his phone and sent a text to Carrie, because he knew she would find it funny.

'You were at the club and avoided me all night, nice Underwood.'

Two minutes later he got a response, 'You laugh it up, Cook, my boyfriend plays hockey.'

That was something he had forgotten about. He guessed it could be worse, because maybe if they were seen together he would actually be worried. As it was, he would have to be a pretty irrational guy to read anything into that posting than paparazzi obviously not having anything better to do with their time.

The thought, though, makes something in the back of his mind ping. Archie had said something about Cook's _girlfriend_ earlier in the day. Amongst the other nonsensical rambles he had ended up just glossing over that point, but now that he thought about it… What was that about?

He hadn't pegged Archie for the type to follow the websites, actually remembered how many times Archie had lamented the shoddy journalism in the past… but really? How else was he going to have seen that? He wasn't even sure Archie owned a TV anymore. It figured: fucking _Extra_.

The real crux of it was the fact that there was literally nothing he could do. Archie was persistent when he made a decision. He wouldn't answer his phone, or the email David had worked a decent amount of time on. He also was pretty sure any of their mutual friends would take Archie's side and seeing as he had no clue what so ever as to what he did he wouldn't be able to defend his case.

He had only really been in town for two days, just enough time to catch up on things and take a breather before he had more shows to go on. He decided somewhere on the road that he had no choice but to just wait it out. He was a patient guy, Archie couldn't stay mad at him forever. (Archie couldn't hold a grudge if he _tried_.) It wasn't like he was his only friend really. Tour kept him balls busy. He could totally wait it out.

*

 

A week later he had to concede defeat.

Even though he loved all of his fans, they weren't helping him with his 'wait it out' method. Granted, he hadn't really told anyone about it so they couldn't be blamed for it but the point still stood. Every time he thought he was getting it handled he would walk out on stage and be reminded he wasn't at all. With out fail, when he looked out onto the sea of faces and signs and there would be something Archie related.

The shirt was just about at the time where he gave up. The girl seemed nice and awesome and really the shirt was funny. But it was the last straw. He missed his friend, damn it and he was willing to play dirty to get that back.

He brought the shirt up to the stage, thought maybe about just swiping it but instead took the chance to point it out to the crowd. He wasn't entirely sure how it all worked (it had to do with Twitter, which he still was pretty firm about avoiding) but he knew if he said anything it would get back to Archie. That was kind of a blessing and a curse.

When the show was over he did his usual routine of walking the line, signing whatever was shoved at him and making small talk. This time, though, the small talk had a purpose. If it conveniently kept swaying back to Archuleta that wasn't that big of a deal, right? It wasn't even difficult to bring him back into the conversation, actually. His fans obviously saw the awesome that he got to see in the other David. He knew they were smart like that.

They ended up at a bar, not that out of the ordinary for them and if anything he needed a drink. Or maybe two.

He was just about at the warm and relaxed feeling of a buzz when a few girls approached him. He was pretty sure he recognized them from earlier that night, was sure that if he asked they would tell him which row they had been in and he would have been able to get the image a little clearer but he didn't really care enough about that. From across the bar he saw Neal eyeing him with concern but he forced a smile and gave him the thumbs up.

"Hey," the short blonde talked first. "We were at your show tonight."

He nodded, "Yea, I recognize you."

The three girls exchanged looks and giggled. He wasn't quite sure what they thought was funny enough but whatever. He took another long pull from his beer and waited to see who would talk first. The tallest of the girls, with shoulder length black hair and who looked like she might have had to use a fake ID to get in, bit at her lower lip a moment later. "It was really fun, you really... _rocked_?"

"Hailey's right," the blonde smiled. "You were awesome."

"Thanks," he smiled.

The last girl, who had a little bit darker blonde hair and could probably be the blonde headed girls sister, seemed to consider what she was about to say for a long moment. "That shirt was a bit awkward, right? I mean... you don't need to have the other David shoved in your face at every concert. It's silly that you still keep getting that. It's been a year."

David took another drink mostly to hide his frown. "I don't mind the reminders, he is a pretty cool kid, you know? I liked hanging out with him. He's got talent and is hilarious."

"Yea, Gina," Hailey said through gritted teeth and a pointed glare. "Told you they are still friends."

"You didn't say they were _friends_," 'Gina' muttered, just barely loud enough for David to catch. She received an elbow to her side and made a loud 'Oof'. "Hey, what?"

The blonde one glared at both of her companions before starting in again. "So ... are you liking Knoxville?"

"It's ... " David paused. There was really no way to finish that sentence that wouldn't sound forced, fake or rude. He hadn't even really gotten the chance to see any of it outside the concert, his hotel and this bar. Finally realizing that silence is just as rude as anything else he gave a lame shrug. "It's small."

Hailey laughed nervously. "You could say that."

"You know what?" he rubbed his hands together. "Next round is on me."

*

 

When David woke the next morning he barely remembered the night before. His band mates, however, had crystal clear memories and were more than willing to remind him about it. He walked out to the kitchenette of the tour bus and swung the fridge open to look for juice.

"So," Neal said, cereal bowl in hand and his voice way too loud for David's liking. "You miss Archuleta."

It wasn't a question, he knew that, but he still had his pride. "I guess."

"That isn't how you made it sound last night," Andy piped up. "In fact last night you made it sound like you two had broken up. Care to share with the class Dave?"

Moments like this made him wish that he had gone with a house band rather than his friends. A house band wouldn't call him on his bullshit. And that sounded pretty damn nice. He rubbed his face with one hand and walked over to the small couch that wasn't being occupied by the others.

"Lay off it," he pleaded. "Let me wallow in my hangover."

Neal smacked him on the back and handed him a bottle of water. "Wallow quickly, you have an interview in about thirty minutes."

"_Awesome_."

*

 

"So," the reporter said, leaning forward to rest her chin on her palm and her short blonde hair resting on either side of her face. "You and David Archuleta. How is that going?"

David resisted the urge to roll his eyes or laugh. He had kind of thought that after Kris Allen had been crowned he would stop getting _Idol_ questions, but that seemed less likely by the day. "I have a great amount of respect and love for Archie. The kid has talent and that I get to be considered in the same breath as him is an honor."

"That is very sweet of you," she said and leaned back in her chair. "Now how about the truth?"

"Excuse me?"

She pursed her lips, considering him before she gave an almost believable laugh. "Just kidding, of course."

"Sure."

"Now how are you feeling about your next album?"

*

There wasn't much time left to relax in the afternoon, but he tried his best to at least close his eyes and relax for a bit. After a minute though he heard his phone's shrill ringer from his bunk. He got up and dug around for a bit before finding it.

"Hello?"

"What did you do to Archie?"

David rolled his eyes, thankful that Syesha couldn't see him through the phone lines. He walked back to the couch and started to stare out the window. "What makes you think I did anything?"

"I just saw him at the studio. When I brought you up? He was catty. David Archuleta is not _catty_. It was like watching a dog walk on his hind legs. Very uncomfortable. So I ask again, what did you _do_?"

With his thumb and forefinger pinching the bridge of nose he let out a long breath. "I don't know what I did, but apparently it is shun worthy. I haven't talked to him since the beginning of July."

"Oh Cook," she clucked. "You are such an idiot sometimes."

There isn't really much he can say to that. It wasn't like he could refute that, he was obviously failing hard at something and people were being obnoxiously unwilling to enlighten him. He stared out the bus window to watch the white lines of the highway passing by the small slivers of lights on the sides.

"You know, you should call him," Syesha said. "Call him and just fix it."

"Fix it, why didn't I think of that?"

Another cluck came through the line. "Alright, Archie being catty is weird, you being catty is just annoying. Fix it."

Cook was sure if she could have she would have slammed the phone, but instead he just looked down to see that the call had been ended.

*

A quick check of the tour dates on Archie's website showed him that he wasn't even on the same coast as David. And despite the urge to fix it right that moment he was actually quite glad that he had a few days to get a plan pieced together. Archie's tour ended in Alaska of all places, but if he knew anything about his friend he assumed he would take a quick vacation home before high tailing it back to Los Angeles and dive headfirst into whatever his next project was. His five day break between the end of the California tour dates and the beginning of the next leg in Michigan fit perfectly.

He heard from a few different people over the next few days that he hadn't just seemed upset to Syesha but that he had been telling anyone who asked him about it just what he felt. It didn't exactly fill him with the confidence he had hoped for. Really though, he guessed he deserved it.

When he asked anyone what exactly he had done wrong he found that pretty quickly most of them seemed to know but not be willing to tell him about it. It brought into stark light just how little he missed high school and the antics that people thought were okay while they were in it. He gave up and just waited it out.

Brook informed him that Archie was working on a new song and it really didn't take much for him to find which studio he would be out. There was something to be said for twitter, if only that it served as a great way to track Archie down.

_Working late on a song for a soundtrack… too bad it doesn't seem like a movie I would see, haha._

When he walked into the studio he found that it was almost entirely empty. There was just one tech hovering over the board while Archie stood in the center of the recording half with an ear phone on one ear and his eyes closed. The room was sound proof, which meant that he couldn't hear whatever was making Archie turn red with effort. He stood in the doorway for a minute and just watched. The sad realization of just how long it had been since he had _seen_ Archie made his chest weirdly tight.

The sound tech pressed a button in front of him and leaned into the small microphone. "Problem solved, thanks."

Archie's eyes opened and immediately snapped to where David stood. He hadn't really thought through the next few steps so he froze for a moment as Archie seemed to take stock of the situation. "Oh, um. Awesome. Thanks. Is- is that it?"

"Yea," the other guy said, having looked over his shoulder to see what Archie was staring at. He turned back. "We'll come back to finish the backing tomorrow?"

Archie nodded as he slipped off his earphones, awkwardly looking away. David walked into the room so that the other guy could walk out. From the half nod and uncomfortable lack of pleasantries David wondered just how much he knew before he realized how paranoid that was. He wasn't imagining how slow Archie seemed to be moving though, and watched as he shuffled paper and shifted the mike back and forth.

He threw caution to the wind and leaned over to press the little button that turned on the speaker. "Hey, you thinking about moving in or you think you could come out here?"

Normally the glare he got from Archie would make him laugh, but it didn't feel funny at all this time. He waited with dwindling patience as Archie leaned down to grab a bag off the floor and neatly put the papers he had away. He guessed he deserved the long deliberate avoidance, though for what he still couldn't pick out.

"Yea?" Archie said testily, finally coming into the room at his own leisure. He refused to look at David, instead making a how of walking over to the mixer and fidgeting with it. Syesha was right, it did feel weird to see Archie being this catty and annoyed.

"So I guess this is the moment where I am supposed to apologize," David frowned. Archie froze where he was, his hand out on one of the levelers. "And I would, really, if I had any idea what the hell I did."

David had felt pretty shitty over the weeks since he had last talked with Archie, but he felt particularly low when he turned to look at him and rather than the anger from a moment before all David could see was sadness and a little pain. "You don't have to apologize."

"Obviously I do, Arch," David pushed a hand through his hair. "Cause whatever it was apparently bad enough to _hurt you_ and if anyone else had hurt you I would kick their ass on principal so you see my dilemma here."

One side of Archie's lip twitched upward. "I don't think it's anatomically possible to do that to yourself."

"I know but it hasn't stopped me trying," he said and this time Archie did smile. He swallowed and averted his eyes for a second. "I don't doubt I was an idiot here, but you are going to have to play fair here. I mean, I can't be expected to try and do things that break the rules of anatomy if I don't even know what the punishment is for."

Archie frowned, looked down at the mixer again and back at David. "I really thought I could move past it. I mean. You were sweet and funny and silly and I liked you and you weren't going to like me. I get that. You are _Cook_. You have anyone you want just throw themselves at you? And I am still a kid. I get... that. But then I saw those pictures of you and Carrie and it just. I couldn't take it. I had to get out."

"You know you could have just told me, right?"

"I didn't want pity from you, Cook."

"Well, what is it you _did_ want?"

Archie looked like he was about to tell him everything but that look fell from his face. He grabbed the bag off of the chair he had thrown it on and turned away. "It doesn't matter."

*

With very little buffer he had to go back on the road, which was in equal measure a blessing and curse. It isn't like he had expected to be forgiven in one quick talk but the lack of an opening to even _talk_ about it was unexpected to say the least.

He slipped into the routine of tour by taking it all in without thinking about the consequences. The first week or so was met with his tour mate's gusto. They went out each night and played like it was their first show, loud and to the rafters. He made as many jokes as he ever did, talked with the groups and enjoyed it. Then after he would celebrate like it was the last night on the road. He went to bars that he probably shouldn't have, sang karaoke he probably shouldn't and usually ended up leaving with someone he wouldn't have left with before.

When it got nearer to the end of September the others slowly started to drop like flies. Kyle first, the suddenly responsible one, then Neal... by the time Andy gave up David probably should have seen the writing on the wall but he was good at keeping his brain occupied enough to avoid thoughts like that. He didn't need an entourage to go out, in fact it kept him from having to keep tabs on them.

"Alright Dave," Neal said one morning at breakfast. "You got it out of your system yet?"

He sipped from his coffee and shook his head. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Above his head Neal and Andy exchanged a look, which he pretended not to notice. It was too early to have a talk like that. Andy tried next. "We've only got tonight left and then three weeks off. Maybe you should take that time and ..."

"Can we save the Dr. Phil for dinner?" he knew that he was being a brat, probably a diva as well but he really wasn't in the mood. It had been a long tour.

"Whatever," Neal said, and added under his breath. "You sure Archie didn't actually break up with you?"

His mouth opened to make a snide remark, or maybe a rebuke but both died when he realized just how sadly close to the truth that was. It was, in fact, just like a break up. A shitty break up at that. He thought back on all the articles about their apparently 'unique' friendship, about the trip to Manilla and how good it had felt to have that much time together. Hell, he even told Archie they needed to do that more often, **just the two of them**.

Not that it should shock him, but somehow it did. And once his brain started on the path it was his companion for the rest of the day, including and all the way through the concert and the after party. (Both of which he knew hadn't been his best but if his hazy memories of the week before were any indication he had made up for the lackluster in Bloomsburg in sheer overwhelming amount in York. His geography wasn't stellar, but the same state had to give him a little leeway.)

It was all very annoyingly simple when he thought about it that way. Added to the fact that his friends and family all seemed to be in the know for far longer than he did just compounding it, he felt almost like the lead in a bad teen movie. He had planned on taking the long route home, or even just staying on the east coast for his break but that went out the window.

He grabbed the first plane he could that was going back to LA, a red eye that landed at an absurdly early time. Or late, if he took into account that he hadn't actually slept yet. He considered renting a car, but a cab seemed faster and in the end he wanted to be as fast as possible. An image of showing up under his window with a boom box was quickly nixed by the lingering fear of paparazzi and what little dignity he still held onto.

He had been to his townhouse a grand total of one time previously, something he hadn't exactly thought was weird until he stood at the doorstep. He kept looking at the numbers above the doorstep and going through his memories to try and remember if that was, in fact, the right one. It was just past six in the morning in LA, a time he was sure that most people were fast asleep.

Having tried calling Archie's cell phone and not getting a response he tried instead to call the house phone. While no one answered, he did hear the ringing through the thick wood door and steeled himself with the conviction that that couldn't just be coincidence. He pressed the button once, paused, and tried again. He couldn't hear any movement, and the lights stayed resolutely out. He pounded a few times, just for full affect but knew when to concede defeat.

Archie could be anywhere, really, and it wasn't like he had talked to him recently to know if he had taken on shows that he wasn't aware of. He turned finally and started up the sidewalk to where the taxi was still waiting.

"Fuck!" David yelled at nothing in particular, he rubbed his hands over his face and turned back towards the road. It wasn't that this closed all doors, but it did burst the bubble of forward motion he had been riding.

"Cook?"

He turned around to find in the middle of his driveway, wearing a pair of long flannel pants, a white shirt and running shoes. He blinked. Running. Archie loved running. Well, duh.

"Hey," he said, suddenly aware how stupidly unprepared he was. "You're here."

"I live here?"

He laughed and got a confused head tilt in response. At very least, he could tell himself that Archie wasn't as mad as he had been. The look on his face wasn't that of a happy and welcoming David Archuleta, but it also wasn't murderous so that was something.

"What are you doing here?"

He stepped forward and bridged the gap between them. "I wanted to talk to you."

"At six in the morning on a Saturday?"

"You broke up with me," he blurted out.

Archie crossed his arms over his chest, which looked ridiculous on him. "You can't break up with someone you aren't dating Cook. That isn't how it works."

"You didn't even tell me you liked me," he offered. "How was I suppose to date you if I didn't know you wanted to date me?"

Archie gaped at him like a fish, one arm uncrossed and a hand up like he was about to make a point that just never came. He sagged back, his shoulders slumped and his mouth finally closing for good. "Well, you could have asked."

"But that would have required me not being dense," David gave a rueful smile. "And apparently Archie? I am pretty dense."

He stepped forward again, Archie looking up just in time for David to leave an awkward kiss on his cheek. They tried again, this time with a little better head swivel and a hand resting on each other's necks. It was swift and warm and the surreal factor made worse by the silence of early morning and the light being the warm and pink of an LA sunrise. He pulled back and couldn't help but smile.

"Now will you stop making me look bad to your fans, those people scare me," he teased, his mouth inches away and then directly on Archie's lips.

When they pulled back again Archie had a face splitting smile that he forced into fake serious. "I was just telling the truth, you know? You could have called me anytime you want."

He opened his mouth to tell him he _did_ call, more than once but they were stopped by a loud honking from the street. He turned to look back and was half surprised to see the taxi was still there. The driver had gotten out and was waving him back.

He held up a hand and looked back at where Archie stood with an amused look. "Hold on. Let me pay this cabbie and I will tell you just how many times I did call."

He got a shrug, which he took as a green light and he jogged quickly to where the guy stood with an annoyed look on his face. He dug around in his pocket for his wallet and grabbed the cash he had thankfully had enough foresight to take out.

"Are you ready or what?" the driver said. "Some of us have homes to get back to, you know?"

David smiled, ducking in to the back seat to grab his backpack before shoving the wad of cash into the guys out stretched hands. "Sorry to make you wait. I'm already home."

He caught sight of Archie, shifting from foot to foot and didn't bother to watch the taxi leave. He was, in fact, already home. It had just taken way too long to get there.


End file.
